2011 / 2012 Ford Focus Wagon

The new Focus gets a five-door stretch and the promise of more performance.

At the Geneva auto show, Ford is unveiling the 2011 Focus wagon, the fifth vehicle to spawn from the company’s new C-segment architecture after the C-Max and Grand C-Max people movers, and the Focus sedan and five-door hatchback that debuted earlier this year at the Detroit auto show. Production starts at the end of the year, likely as 2011 models for Europe. The car would probably go on sale as a 2012 if it were offered in the U.S.

Expanding the Range

Similar to the five-door hatch but with a slight stretch to allow for more cargo room, the Focus wagon employs the same bold “Kinetic” design language that looked so good on the Detroit show stand and that is being applied to many new Blue Oval vehicles. Integrated, full-length roof rails and a compact roof spoiler tacked onto the powered tailgate are notable additions for the wagon body style.

Geared primarily for the wagon-savvy European market, the stretched five-door is anticipated to account for about one-third of Focus sales. While U.S.-market focus hatches and sedans will initially be equipped with a direct-injection gas 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 155 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque, European models will be offered with both a 1.6-liter four in 104- and 123-hp strengths and a direct-injected 1.6-liter EcoBoost turbo-four with 148 or 178 hp. The 1.6-liter EcoBoost mill is expected to be added to the U.S. lineup at some point, likely as an upscale option with greater efficiency and power than the 2.0-liter.

Given the popularity of diesels in Europe, a pair of turbocharged TDCi oil-burners also will be available. A 1.6-liter four-cylinder will offer 94 or 113 hp, while a 2.0-liter unit will have outputs of 113, 138, or 161 hp. The 2.0-liter diesel will be available with Ford’s new six-speed PowerShift dual-clutch automated manual gearbox, as will most of the gas engines, with the rest of the lineup sporting six-speed manuals.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

In addition to the bold exterior design, the new Focus will feature an attractive, tech-inspired interior theme with higher-quality materials, advanced electronics, and upscale features such as rain-sensing wipers and an automated park-assist system. Other technological highlights include an eight-inch touch-screen navigation system, the Sync and MyFord driver-connectivity systems, low-speed-collision warning and mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and mitigation, blind-spot detection, auto high beams, a driver-drowsiness alert function, traffic-sign recognition, and a programmable speed limiter.

Performance Aspirations

While it’s unlikely that we’ll see the Focus wagon on this side of the Atlantic, the company’s One Ford pledge to develop vehicles for the global market means it’s not entirely out of the question. To that end, Ford also is promising a global performance derivative of the new Focus, portending a possible revival of the SVT moniker in the U.S. and an extension of the ST and RS range in Europe. But don’t expect the wagon to be part of that plan.